Monday, December 2, 2013

The fragrance

The pocket-sized bottle of hand sanitizer was just right for carrying with me to work today. The fragrance was some form of peach and it had a lovely aroma. Between seeing patients and battling fits of coughing, I was using the sanitizer constantly. I noticed one of the employees walking behind me to my office and assumed she was bringing papers to sign. Nope. She was following the aroma of the hand sanitizer. "You smell wonderful! What is that fragrance?" she asked. "The hand sanitizer?" I asked with a laugh. She made a note of the fragrance name for her next trip to the mall as I squirted a little into her hand.

For the rest of the day, every time I applied the sanitizer, I thought about how the fragrance had followed me through the halls of the office. I'm glad the fragrance following me was a pleasant one!

Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, describes the "fragrance of Christ " that believers should exude. I like the way the Message says it:

"Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life."

(2 Corinthians 2:14-15MSG)

It's really nice to have a sweet-smelling perfume (or hand sanitizer) but how much better to give off the sweet aroma of life and the exquisite fragrance of Christ! That's the fragrance I want. How about you? What fragrance do you leave in your wake?